Cornell Township, Delta County, November 11, 2007

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DELTA COUNTY TRACKS, March, 2008
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MICHIGAN CITIZENS for COUGAR RECOGNITION
DELTA County Sightings



1964Ford RiverLACTATING FEMALE TRAPPED
10/70Stonington Fire Tower
1977Rapid River, Trapper traps cougar kittenKITTENS
1978Rapid River, Cougar with two cubs seen in headlights at 20 yards KITTENS
1978Stonington, DNR Parks employee and wife view small cougar. District Biologist Dick Aartila confirms track to be probable young cougarKITTEN
03/81M-35, 15 miles out of Escanaba, Observed by DNR Forester Mike Zuidema
1982Stonington, 35-40 pound cougar seen by wife of taxidermistKITTENS
1984Rapid River, Cougar with 3 spotted kittens seen at 40 feet KITTENS
07/21/84North of Fox
1985Escanaba, Half-grown cougar seen at 150 feet KITTENS
1985Stonington, Half-grown cougar, approximately 40 pounds, seen at 60 feetKITTENS
1986Ensign, Two young cougars seen feeding at gut pile during deer seasonKITTENS
1986Ford River, Trapper views two small cougars twice KITTENS
1987Rock, Deerhunter sees "dirty spotted" young cougar with binoculars at 150 feetKITTENS
1987Schaffer, Young spotted cougar KITTENS
1988Rock, Latent belly/ribcage stripes which appear to end in a point are witnessed on a young cougar KITTENS
09/02/88Ensign
1989Gladstone, Semi-truck driver views 2 cougar cubs wrestling off edge of road KITTENS
1989Stonington, Single cougar size of a dogKITTENS
09/89Perkins
1990Ford River, State Trooper views young cougar KITTENS
1991Rapid River, Female with two cubsKITTENS
1992Stonington, Cougar with 5 kittens seen as a man drives up to his camp gate KITTENS
1992 17th Road
1993Escanaba, Logger sees small cougar with black spots or blotchesKITTENS
1995Rapid River, Darker marks seen on the fur of a small cougarKITTENS
1996Cornell, Female seen with two youngKITTENS
11/17/96Rock
1997Bark River, Two cougar cubs playing on a blow-down tee by a deer hunterKITTENS
1998Cornell, Big cougar seen with 3 young; one was nearly black and the other two were brownKITTENS
1998Escanaba, Spotted mountain lion cub seenKITTENS
1999Rapid River, Young gray cougar seen with dark spots - its belly was lighterKITTENS
Summer, 2001Rock
2001Stonington, Mountain lion with 2 cubs; cubs were 15 feet outside of house windowKITTENS
2001Stonington, Two mountain lion kittens playing on the edge of the roadKITTENS
07/11/01Whitefish River
2002Escanaba, Apparent young cougarKITTENS
2002Bark River, Obvious young cougar based on photoKITTENS
2002Ford River, Young cougars - looked like twinsKITTENS
2002Rapid River, Cougar with estimated weight of 45 poundsKITTENS
07/02Observed by Vern G. of Dundee
07/13/021/4 mile E of USFS 2233
09/04/02Bark River
2003Garden
2003Garden, Young with black tipped tail with latent rings KITTENS
2003Hyde, Cougar with 1 kittenKITTENS
2003Rapid River, Mother with 2 cubsKITTENS
2003Rock, State Trooper views a cougar he believes to be a young catKITTENS
05/20/03On Lake Michigan Shoreline near Portage Bay Campground
06/28/03T43NR20W03
07/03Observed by Nancy M. of Escanaba
07/18/03Near CR 440/by Pole Creek Lake, not far from Camps on Lake
07/18/03Near CR 2235 (near St. Jakes) on the fire line
07/24/03Old US 2, 1 mile from the Railroad TracksMOM/2 KITTENS
2004Rapid River, Young cougar - tail appeared to be ringed KITTENS
07/17/04T43NR21W19, Saw for several years now
09/07/04Forest Highway 13 appx. 3-4 miles from US 2 near Nahma
09/02/04End of K 5 lane 50' past gate at end of road
11/15/045-6 miles N of Rapid River - State land
2005Garden, Village employee reports 2 cougars together on edge of townKITTENS
02/14/05Near Moss Lake, 1 mile W of Forest Service Road 2226, Saw three timesPAIR
03/29/051 mile S of Garden
05/26/05Gladstone Golf Course on Days River Road near old school house
06/13/05US 2 one mile W of Cooks by Schoolcraft/Delta County lines
09/10/05US 2, Railroad track/limestone quarry near Moss Lake in Isabella b/w 24th Road and JJ Five Road, Photos
11/11/05Parkway Drive, Gladstone
2006 St. Nicholas, Six women picking raspberries view 2 cougars - the cats were between them and their vehicle; flagged down a motorist to ride around the catsKITTENS
01/14/06 Near landfill at Mill
04/28/06SW of Escanaba near Airport, Chasing rabbits
05/07/06Ceaderdale Road
07/09/06Highway 41, Rapid River
07/23/06N River Lane Road PAIR
08/06426 and Woodlawn, Cornell
08/04/06Near Jackpine Lake, Track photos
03/16/072 miles North of Bark River, within a couple miles of a confirmed cougar scat, Cat was about 12-15" tall at shoulderYOUNG
07/18/07Soo Hill area of Escanaba; Rober H's dog awakens him at 2:00 a.m. barking at cougar; observed under lights to have 2 1/2-3' tail that curled up at the end, cat looked at observer before running into woods; consistent track found the same week
07/20/07Donna R. was out on a morning walk down CR 416 20 Road in Gladstone and saw cougar standing in middle of road ahead of her at about two telephone pole lengths. She started walking slowly backward, the cougar started to approach her slowly. This continued until she could dash into an open garage at L Road. Experts believe this was a curiosity stalk; she took the right safety precautions retreating slowly while never turning her back to the animal
Late July, 2007Joe M's daughter sees cougar run across road in area of CR 416 20 Road
Fall, 2007Lauri V of Cornell saw cougar just north of Cornell about 1/2 mile from Nordgren trail cam picture
09/07Driving through Bellefeuille property and cougar crossed in front of vehicle - long tail was very evident
10/05/078 miles west of Escanaba on US 2/41 - crossing the road
10/05/07Near Escanaba crossing US Highway 2 - Observed by wildlife photographer. 10-15 cars slowed down or stopped while cougar crossed the road. Covered in mud and grass.
11/11/07Woodscam photo (top of page) taken in Cornell Township. DNR classifies photo as "unverified".
03/08/08Cougar Tracks continuing for 260 yards along a logging road. DNR states that they "most likely came from a cougar". Photos of prints posted at top of page.
05/18/08Corner store on Old State Road. Cougar chasing 3 deer and a turkey through a field. Watched for about 2 minutes. 5:45 p.m.
03/0811.5 Road heading east -mail carrier sees cougar standing on large sand hill
05/18/08Cougar observed several times by the Cornerstone Church where Big Ditch Creek crosses Old state Road.
06/09/08Tracks found by USFS employee Janet Ekstrum while doing a Kirtland warbler survey. Verified by DNR Wildlife Technician Bill Rollo. Located 42 miles from tracks found in this county in 03/08.
06/27/08Ray C saw cougar cross the Dead Horse Creek Road in northern Delta County, T43N, R23W, S26 one 1/4 mile from W 1/4 corner. Crossed in front of vehicle. Two cougars observed in this area by residents.
07/08Bill N. of Perkins observes cougar at S23 T42N R23W while walking down road at 8:30 a.m. after cutting firewood. Saw cougar 100 yards in front of him. Saw cougar 500 yards from this sight 5 years ago.


Using information compiled by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, it was determined that approximately 50% of anecdotal reports (as listed below), can be classified as probable or verified.
Reports by the public, when carefully screened for reliability, and used in conjunction with other information and evidence, can aid in assessing population status.
Thank you to the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Retired DNR Forester Mike Zuidema, and the media for this valuable research information.




DENISE N. MASSEY